Kimii-dera Temple and Wakanoura Area

The following morning, I took a train to Kimii-dera Temple. This was a popular Sakura viewing spot so I went early in order to miss the crowd. Of course, this meant I got to listen to the blowers used to clean up the grounds, but I was used to this.

Kimii-dera is a beautifully ornate temple in vermillion and white. The soft white Sakura added to this beauty.

I was surprised to find a statue of Kobo Daishi, the spiritual inspiration behind the Shikoku Pilgrimage. I took this as a favorable omen, that he was already overseeing my Pilgrimage.

In the background is the Wakanoura Area, my next destination

The first lengthy walk of this trip, from Kimii-dera to Kishu Toshugu Shrine, then up to the observatory on top of Mount Takatsuko. The shrine was established over 400 years ago and honors the Tokugawa shogunate. The artwork was reminiscent of the more famous Nikko Toshugu shrine, but unfortunately, there were "No Photography" signs.

To reach the observatory, there was a forest trail called the Path of Sound of Waves. At the top were fields of Sakura trees, sadly all past the peak and a great panoramic view of Wakanoura and the surrounding areas.